The next time you order a Deliveroo, it may be delivered by the man who founded the entire company. Will Shu, a pleasant America who moved to London in 2004 in his former life as an investment banker, straps on a helmet once every week or so to bike restaurant food to customers across the capital, something he did in the early days of Deliveroo back in 2013 to keep costs down (“It’s a good way to stay in touch with the restaurants and riders.”) .

Fast forward four short years, and Deliveroo couriers dressed in the company’s signature turquoise on bicycles and mopeds have become a familiar sight on not only London’s streets, but in towns and cities across the country.

The idea behind Deliveroo is, as Shu himself concedes, “not complicated, I mean, anyone can have it.” Having lived in New York for years, the 37-year old was used to the city’s 50 plus years in experience of restaurants delivering food direct to your door, and was dismayed at the UK’s lack of delivery options. “When I moved here, it was like ‘Wow, I can’t get anything delivered,’” he says. “I really care about food, and delivery, and we want to bring the best restaurants to people.”

Will Shu, chief executive of Deliveroo, has said the company will continue to focus on food delivery (Photo: Deliveroo)

The start-up delivers food from mass-market chains and independent restaurants alike who wouldn’t traditionally offer a takeaway service, and drops it off to you. Pizza Express, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Byron and Ping Pong are among the big names preparing food in their kitchens, which Deliveroo riders will swing by to pick up and drop off. If it sounds simple, that’s because it is, and was enough to attract a $275m (£220m) round of investment last year.

Gig economy warfare

While Deliveroo has been hailed as one of the UK’s tech success stories, it hasn’t all been plain sailing. It reported a loss of £30m during 2015 last November, which it chalked up to its ferocious expansion across the UK, and has become embroiled in a row over the treatment of workers within the ‘gig economy’ – the industry which has sprung up surrounding workers labouring for on-demand firms, such as Uber and Deliveroo. Deliveroo stands accused of failing to classify its 15,000 couriers as employees, denying them workers’ rights and minimum wages, culminating in a rider strike in August last year.

When asked how Deliveroo is competing with Uber now the ride hailing company has branched out into food delivery under Uber Eats, Shu is politely diplomatic.

“This is all we do, we care deeply about food. Uber is an amazing company in many ways, but they’re focused on a lot of different things, and we want to focus on what we do really well.” So focused is Shu on food, he’s unwilling to indulge the fantasy of Deliveroo expanding to delivery outside the food sphere – online clothes drop offs, medicine retrieval or other home treatments, such as massages. “You never know, but what we’re focused on is food, and that’s what we really, really care about. I know some companies that do food delivery have said ‘Hey, we’re going to sell other stuff’, but I’m not really interested in that. I just want to get deeper and deeper in food.”

Will Shu still delivers food to customers every few weeks (Photo: Deliveroo)

Food is certainly a subject Shu talks passionately about. Chinese restaurant Bamboo Flute, which in Firzrovia is close to his office, is one of his favourites, while Motu’s Indian food is “amazing in terms of quality. I love Nandos, I always get the chicken thighs, I find the white meat very dry, so I like the thighs,” he exalts. “The one I order most frequently from is Cocotte, because I live in Notting Hill and it’s close to it. They do incredible chicken, it’s very different to Nandos, it’s French and refined.”

Inside Deliveroo Editions

The latest step in Deliveroo’s quest for perfection in culinary convenience is Deliveroo Editions, a series of makeshift kitchens for between five and 10 restaurants across Camberwell, Battersea, Dulwich and Canary Wharf. Because the restaurants customers are able to order from are limited depending on the distance to their home, the spaces are a convenient way for restaurants to expand into new areas without stumping up the required cash to open new premises.

“We’re creating over 1,000 jobs for their restaurants. If GBK or any of these guys want to sent up a high street restaurant, that’s usually around £500,000 to a million pounds of cap x,” reasons Shu. “It turns out people really want two things – the best local restaurants, and they want to get that food in 30, 35 minutes. That’s kinda what we do globally.”

Shu’s laser focus on all that is edible is admirable, in an industry when becoming a jack of all trades is valued more than mastering one. Time to get back on his bike.

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